Welcome to my first column as your new President of the Texas Wildlife Association!
Although I am a long-time member of TWA, stepping into this role has given me a new perspective as a rancher, landowner and hunter. I am both excited and hopeful for what lies ahead! It is my honor to represent each one of you for the next two years as we work together to further protect our wildlife and our hunting heritage in this great state for generations to come.
We are off to a strong start, thanks to a very successful convention this past July. While celebrating TWA’s 40th anniversary, over 1,500 attendees gathered in San Antonio to enjoy great seminars, great speakers and great fellowship. In addition to our TWA awardees and scholarship winner mentioned in last month’s issue, we also recognized those hunters who achieved their Texas Slams this year. Congratulations again to Greg Buck, Rob Cinclair, Corey Fearheiley, Justin Kibbe and Steven Wolfe for submitting impressive pronghorn, mule deer, whitetail and javelina trophies.
We also recognized hunters whose trophies earned Best in Texas awards – some of whom were record breakers! Congratulations to Alejandro Bailleres who moved into the #3 spot of the Top 5 All-Time Typical Whitetail Deer in the low fence category with a net score of 191 1/8”. And to David Shashy who moved into second place in the Typical Whitetail Deer high fence category with a net score of 195”. Great job!
And speaking of breaking records, many, many thanks to everyone’s generosity at the convention. From registration fees to sponsorships, from silent auctions to live auctions, everyone who attended contributed to the funds raised this year. All in, this year’s convention raised over $1.2 million. A first!
Why is that so important? Because TWA is only as strong as your support. Our mission is large and the need is great. Every dollar raised goes to sustaining our amazing educational programs, our scholarships and our legislative efforts to ensure that our concerns as landowners and hunters are heard and that our rights are protected – not only for us – but for our children and grandchildren.
It is easy to look past the work being done behind the scenes when certain issues do not affect everyone. But collectively on a broader scale, all of the work being done by our leadership benefits us all. Without TWA, we would not have an advocate working tirelessly on our behalf to protect private property rights with boots on the ground at the state and federal legislative level.
Without TWA, we would be flying blind on some of the wildlife challenges we face right now with Chronic Wasting Disease or the invasive New World screwworm.
And if not for TWA, Texas would lack wonderful education programs for adults and youth. Both provide a solid foundation for enjoying our great outdoors and appreciating its importance.
This is not a job for one person – it will take all of us working together to preserve our wildlife and habitat. Some of you have just joined TWA and some of you are taking leadership roles. Many thanks to our committee chairs who I know will strive to make great things happen with the support of our amazing staff members.
While I look forward to working with all of you, I must admit that I will be taking some time off this month to visit a beautiful field, waiting on the next wave of dove. I hope you will be there too!
Serving Texas wildlife and its habitat, while protecting property rights, hunting heritage, and the conservation efforts of those who value and steward wildlife resources.
TJ Goodpasture, Director of Development & Operations
Denell Jackson, Development Associate ADVOCACY
Joey Park, Legislative Program Coordinator
MAGAZINE CORPS
Sean Hoffmann, Managing Editor
Publication Printers Corp., Printing, Denver, CO
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Texas Wildlife
SEPTEMBER
September 11-13
Southwest Texas Land & Wildlife Summit, Del Rio, https://devilsriverconservancy.org/landwildlife-summit
September 12
Bryan/College Station Sportsmen’s Celebration & Texas Big Game Awards, 5 p.m., Ice House on Main, 800 N. Main St., Bryan, 77803, https:// secure.qgiv.com/event/collegestation/
Abilene Sportsmen’s Celebration & Texas Big Game Awards, 5 p.m., 201 Mesquite Event Center, 201 Mesquite St., Abilene, 79601, https://secure.qgiv.com/event/abilene1/
OCTOBER
October 3
Landowner Workshop & Field Day: Habitat Management for White-tailed Deer, Bryan, https://secure.qgiv.com/for/landownerworkshops/ event/collegestationlandownerworkshop/
OCTOBER
October 9
James Green Wildlife & Conservation Initiative Fundraising Event, Fort Worth. For more information, contact djackson@texas-wildlife. org or twafoundation.org
October 17
Alpine Sportsmen’s Celebration & Texas Big Game Awards, 5 p.m., The Granada Theater, 207 E. Holland Ave., Alpine, 79830, https:// secure.qgiv.com/event/alpine/
October 21
Inaugural TWA Camo & Clubs Golf Tournament, 9 a.m., The Clubs of Prestonwood—The Hills, Plano. https://bit.ly/TWACamoClubs2025
FOR INFORMATION ON HUNTING SEASONS, call the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department at (800) 792-1112, consult the 2023-2024 Texas Parks and Wildlife Outdoor Annual, or visit the TPWD website at: tpwd.state.tx.us.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
TWA LETTER TO THE EDITOR POLICY: Texas Wildlife Association members are encouraged to provide feedback about issues and topics. The CEO and editor will review letters (maximum 400 words) for possible publication. Email letters to shoffmann@texaswildlife.org
TWA MEMBER PHOTO CONTEST
TWA Member Photo Contest: Email us your best photos, TWA! We’ll accept them from current members through Oct. 31, 2025 and publish the best ones in upcoming issues to Texas Wildlife Extra. One entry per member per category, must be a current TWA member when photo is entered. Categories are landscape, wildlife, humor and game camera. Also, an open youth division for photographers who are 17 and under. Photos must be taken in Texas! Email your high resolution, unedited and unenhanced picture to TWA@texas-wildlife.org
New
Lufkin June 20
Kingsville Aug. 2
Amarillo Aug. 22
Victoria Aug. 29
Bryan/College Station Sept 12
Abilene Sept. 19
Alpine Oct. 17
PHOTO BY CHASE FOUNTAIN
Relocated desert bighorn sheep blend in to a rocky outcropping at Franklin Mountains State Park.
Texas Landowners
and Wildlife Experts
Confront the Latest Bighorn Crisis Back From The Brink—Again?
ARTICLE BY LYDIA SALDAÑA
In the rugged mountain ranges of the Trans-Pecos, the desert bighorn sheep has long symbolized the wild heart of West Texas. Once extirpated, then triumphantly restored, Texas’ desert bighorns now face a new crisis—one that could erase decades of conservation progress if left unaddressed.
That sobering message set the tone at a landmark symposium held May 15, 2025, at Sul Ross State University in Alpine. Managing Desert Bighorn Sheep in Texas: Challenges of the 21st Century brought together wildlife disease experts, landowners, agency leaders and conservationists from across the country for a focused discussion on the
Back From The Brink—Again?
threats facing West Texas bighorn populations—chief among them a fast-moving respiratory disease known as Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae, or “M. ovi,” which is driving steep population declines across the region.
The event was organized by Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) through a collaboration led by Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, which provided funding and logistical support. Additional support came from the Texas Bighorn Society and the Wild Sheep Foundation, with the Borderlands Research Institute serving as a key on-theground partner and host.
“We brought in the best minds in bighorn restoration, disease management, and wildlife science—not just to talk, but to listen and learn from one another,” said Dr. David Yoskowitz, executive director of TPWD. “The future of bighorns in Texas will depend on strong science, honest conversations and trust across public and private lines.”
“We’re in a tough spot,” said Froylan Hernandez, TPWD bighorn sheep program leader. “We’ve lost over 50 percent of our statewide bighorn population since 2021. Our most productive herds are surrounded by risk. This is our watch, and it’s on us to do something about it.”
A CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY—UNTIL NOW
Once found in at least 16 Texas mountain ranges, bighorn sheep all but disappeared by the 1960s due to unregulated hunting, overgrazing, habitat loss, and disease introduced
by domestic livestock. Beginning in the 1950s, the state and its partners launched an ambitious, decades-long recovery effort. Working alongside landowners, TPWD and organizations like the Texas Bighorn Society and Wild Sheep Foundation translocated about a thousand bighorns to their historic habitats, rebuilt public and private stewardship coalitions, and ultimately grew the population back to an estimated 1,500 animals by 2018.
That number has since been cut in half.
The culprit, scientists say, is M. ovi, a multi-factorial respiratory pathogen carried by domestic sheep and goats— and now widespread in exotic aoudad populations. Aoudads —or Barbary sheep—which were first introduced to Texas in the 1950s, have proliferated across the Trans-Pecos and beyond. They show little effect from the disease themselves but can transmit it to bighorns through a variety of sources.
Research from Texas and other western states shows that M. ovi compromises bighorns’ immune systems, leading to die-offs in adults and near-total mortality in lambs. “You can have lambs born healthy in the spring, and by 12 weeks, they’re gone,” said Dr. Peri Wolff, a wildlife disease specialist. “We’ve seen herds go through years—even decades—of no successful lamb recruitment because of this.”
AN UNWELCOME RETURN TO OLD CHALLENGES
In opening remarks, Clay Brewer—a retired TPWD biologist and longtime advocate for bighorn restoration, who serves
M. ovi compromises bighorns’ immune systems, leading to die-offs in adults and near-total mortality in lambs.
PHOTO BY CHASE FOUNTAIN
Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management area, approximately 25 miles south of Alpine in Brewster County, consists of
acres.
BY FROYLAN
PHOTO
HERNANDEZ
Aoudad, or Barbary sheep, were imported from northern Africa in the 1950s and have successfully adapted to certain mountain ranges in the Trans-Pecos.
as a consultant to Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation— reminded attendees that Texas has been here before.
“In 1905, Vernon Bailey wrote that only full knowledge and protective measures could save Texas bighorns,” Brewer said. “Forty years later in 1945, Burch Carson, who was hired by the Texas Game Fish and Oyster Commission to document the decline of desert bighorn sheep in Texas, warned that quick action would be needed to avoid extinction. I wish the news was better today, but we’re in the same place again— facing the same kind of urgency.”
Texas Parks and Wildlife Chairman Paul Foster, a West Texas landowner himself, reinforced that message. “This is a pivotal moment,” he said. “The threat posed by disease is real, and it’s urgent. But so is the opportunity to work together—again—for the good of this iconic species.”
A CLEAN SLATE IN THE FRANKLINS
As part of that effort, TPWD recently completed a major step forward: the establishment of a new bighorn population in Franklin Mountains State Park in El Paso.
In December 2024, 77 desert bighorns from Elephant Mountain Wildlife Management Area—a known diseasefree herd—were captured, tagged, collared and trucked west to the Franklin Mountains.
“These sheep came from a healthy herd, and they’re now on a landscape without aoudad,” said Hernandez. “It’s rare to find a clean slate in this fight, but the Franklins gave us that.”
TPWD will closely monitor the herd using GPS collars to track movements, lamb recruitment and survival. If successful, the Franklin herd could become Texas’ second disease-free source population—an essential hedge as the agency works to safeguard remaining strongholds.
“To watch those animals leap out and disappear into the mountains was unforgettable,” said Foster. “It was a win not just for El Paso, but for all of Texas.”
AOUDAD IN THE CROSSHAIRS
While M. ovi is the biological threat, aoudads are the main ecological vector. That reality dominated much of the symposium discussion.
Jose Etchart, a TPWD senior wildlife biologist, described the economic and cultural footprint aoudads have carved across West Texas. “They’ve adapted to our ecosystem, and the hunting market has grown substantially. For many landowners, they provide real income.”
But that success comes at a cost. “You can fly two canyons over and see another herd of 150 aoudad,” he said. “They’re everywhere. And every one of them is a potential disease carrier.”
Dr. Justin French, of the Borderlands Research Institute, shared new findings from the Chinati Mountains, where aerial surveys using thermal imaging detected roughly 8,000 aoudad in a single mountain range—about one animal per 40 acres.
“We’re likely looking at a six-figure aoudad population across the Trans-Pecos,” he said. While raw extrapolations suggest as many as 250,000 animals, French noted that figure is likely inflated because surveys focused on areas already known to have high densities.
French also reported signs of mounting pressure on native species. “We’ve seen a 25 percent decline in mule deer in the Quitman Mountains and 33 percent in the Chinatis,” he said.
“Meanwhile, the aoudad population is holding steady— or growing—despite extreme drought. Aoudad are better competitors.”
While competition between aoudad and mule deer may be manageable, he added, the stakes are higher for bighorns. “We have our work cut out for us,” French said. “Aoudads aren’t going away, and we need realistic strategies to address both competition and disease.”
PHOTO BY CHASE FOUNTAIN
PHOTO BY CHASE FOUNTAIN
Bighorns were tested and collared as part of the relocation process.
Presently, there is no evidence of M. ovi in the Elephant Mountain desert bighorn herd, which made these sheep ideal candidates for the Franklin Mountains relocation project.
SEEKING SOLUTIONS FROM THE WEST
The symposium also brought in seasoned bighorn managers from Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Nebraska—states that have been managing M. ovi outbreaks for years.
Frances Cassirer and Hollie Miyasaki of Idaho Fish and Game shared results from their “test and remove” program, in which chronic carriers are identified through repeated testing and selectively culled. “It’s not a silver bullet,” Cassirer said. “But in some herds, it’s doubled lamb survival and turned declining populations around.”
Utah Division of Wildlife Resource’s Rusty Robinson described how his state has invested in fenced “nursery herds” for disease-free sheep. “It’s high-maintenance,” he said, “but it’s worth it, if it works. We are hoping these facilities can help us preserve clean animals for future restoration.”
Texas officials are listening closely. “We’re learning from every state in this room,” said Hernandez. “We’re behind the curve on disease, but we’re catching up fast—and leaning on our partners to help get us there.”
A PATH FORWARD—UNDER CONSTRUCTION
So what happens next?
In the months following the symposium, TPWD will convene an internal technical working group to develop specific management recommendations. Those recommendations will
then be presented to TPWD’s Bighorn Sheep Advisory Committee for further input before being considered by TPWD’s executive office for final approval. That multi-step process is already underway.
While no single, long-term solution has been finalized, wildlife officials have identified a clear starting point in the Sierra Diablo Mountains—site of the most recent disease event in August 2023. Encouraging signs are emerging: the population appears to be stabilizing, with a recent aerial survey showing a 50 percent lamb crop. Plans are in place for a fall 2025 capture to test and collar sheep, a key step toward assessing the feasibility of further restoration.
“This isn’t abstract—we’re moving,” said Hernandez. “There’s strong landowner support, very few aoudad, and real momentum in the Diablos. It’s our best shot right now.”
Still, Hernandez emphasized that long-term success will require the same kind of collaboration that made the symposium possible—where state agencies, researchers, landowners and conservation partners come together to chart the path forward.
“This is one of those moments where we either step up or step back,” he said. “And stepping back isn’t an option. The decisions we make now will determine whether bighorns continue to survive in Texas—or just become part of our history.”
PHOTO BY CHASE
Many conservation and wildlife organizations are providing financial and resource support toward the restoration of Texas’ bighorn population.
Carving Out A Niche For Desert Bighorn Sheep In Aoudad-occupied Landscapes
ARTICLE
BY ELLE A. HANCOCK, JUSTIN T. FRENCH, MICHAEL J. CHERRY (TAMUK), CARLOS E. GONZALEZ, FROYLAN HERNANDEZ (TPWD) and SHAWN S. GRAY (TPWD)
IMAGES COURTESY BORDERLANDS RESEARCH INSTITUTE
A desert bighorn sheep ram captured in October 2023 and fit with a GPS collar and ear tags. This was one of 219 GPS-collared sheep studied in this project. The data set spans from 2010 to 2024 and includes multiple different capture events.
Desert bighorn sheep are a unique species adapted to survive the harsh conditions of desert mountain ecosystems. The Trans-Pecos region of Texas was historically home to over 1,500 desert bighorn sheep before settlement. However, due to a combination of overhunting, habitat loss and disease, those numbers dwindled to zero by the early 1960s. Reintroduction and subsequent restoration efforts in the region were a success, with populations once again reaching 1,500 individuals by 2015. However, in recent years, managers have observed significant population declines, with only 500 to 600 individuals counted in 2024.
There are several management challenges facing West Texas desert bighorn sheep populations. The main complication is the recent outbreaks of a pathogenic respiratory bacteria called Mycoplasma ovipneumoniae (M. ovi), which causes die offs in all age groups of desert bighorn sheep populations, followed by years of low recruitment. Biologists documented the first outbreak of M. ovi in Texas desert bighorn sheep in 2019 and now consider pneumonia the leading cause of decline in several of the region’s herds. But M. ovi is not the only challenge facing these sheep.
West Texas is also host to invasive aoudad, an ungulate first introduced to the United States as a game species in 1924. Aoudad are native to northern Africa, a region featuring a dry climate and rugged topography. A robust and adaptable species, aoudad populations have established in Europe and various areas of the United States, where their high population growth rates have enabled them to expand rapidly. Along with high birth rates, aoudad overlap heavily with native ungulates in habitat requirements and utilize many of the same plant species as desert bighorn sheep. Unfortunately, aoudad also carry and transmit M. ovi, but appear to escape the devastating effects suffered by infected desert bighorn sheep herds. These characteristics suggest that aoudad are likely to be a superior competitor to desert bighorn sheep.
To better understand competition between the species, we investigated the range of ways that aoudad, mule deer and desert bighorn sheep in the Trans-Pecos use resources, which scientists refer to as the species’ niche. We found a high degree of niche overlap between desert bighorn sheep and aoudad, which indicates a concerning potential for competition. However, we also found some encouraging results that suggest, despite being habitat specialists with narrow niches, desert bighorn sheep may be able to cope with competition to at least a limited degree.
Using data from 219 GPS-collared desert bighorn sheep from four different Trans-Pecos populations, we found evidence of niche plasticity in desert bighorn sheep. This is important because most habitat specialists’ niches are not very flexible, making them more sensitive to competition. The fact that desert bighorn sheep populations exhibit niche differences under different environmental conditions is promising because it indicates a degree of niche plasticity, which could help the species successfully compensate for competition with aoudad by shifting their niche and using the landscape differently than they would otherwise prefer. However, the degree of niche plasticity in desert bighorn sheep has its limits. As individuals made more extreme tradeoffs in habitat use, moving them closer to the limits of
the desert bighorn sheep niche, they were more vulnerable to mortality. The extremity of this effect varied considerably by population. In some populations, survival probability plummeted quickly as individuals made progressively more extreme choices in habitat use, but in other populations, the effect was less pronounced. This disparity was tied to habitat quality, and populations in drier, less productive habitat had lower niche plasticity, while those in higher quality habitats had more freedom to shift their niche before their survival rates were severely impacted.
A graphic illustrating niche variation among four Trans-Pecos desert bighorn sheep populations. Each dot represents an individual sheep, color represents the population it belongs to, and color shades indicate different years.
These results are encouraging because they indicate that desert bighorn sheep have some (if limited) capacity to cope with competitive pressures from aoudad that occupy their habitats. Aoudad are here to stay in the Trans-Pecos, so that capacity is vital to bighorn persistence in the mountains of West Texas. However, it is important to remember that niche plasticity is finite and desert bighorn sheep survival suffers if an individual shifts too far. Annual survival among adult aoudad averages 94%, and human harvest accounts for the overwhelming majority of mortality. Combined with high reproductive output, this leads to rapid aoudad population growth and increased competition. Thus, aoudad populations require sustained, intensive management to mitigate competition where they coexist with desert bighorn sheep. This is particularly true in the drier parts of the desert bighorn sheep’s historic range, where they have less flexibility in how they cope with competitive pressure. While this is a qualified “win” on the competition front, M. ovi still represents an existential threat to desert bighorn persistence in an aoudadoccupied landscape. While there are no clear management solutions yet, we continue to investigate the efficacy of aoudad population management at reducing both competition and disease risk.
GUNS &
Knock, Knock.
ARTICLE BY LARRY WEISHUHN PHOTOS BY LARRY WEISHUHN OUTDOORS
Larry with his 17-inch pronghorn taken while hunting with Wildlife Systems.
My apologies for the title, I simply could not help myself. Beginning in September I hear opportunity knocking, inviting me to journey forth into Texas’ great outdoors and much hunting. Starting with doves, to pronghorn on Sept. 28, which is the same date for those properties under TPWD’s Managed Land Deer Permits for whitetail deer. Our time of the year is at hand!
Forty years ago when we first incorporated Texas Wildlife Association I showed up at Gary Machen’s ranch, between Uvalde and Pearsall, to hunt doves. I had purposely brought a .410 side by side shotgun to have a ready excuse when I missed fast flying mourning doves that visited Gary’s grainfields and waterholes.
Secreted under an ancient bull mesquite, Machen, just to my left, watched as I missed four doves in a row. As I started to load two fresh rounds, I felt tapping on my shoulder.
“Whysooooon, no use you wasting any more 7 ½ shot. The way you shoot a shotgun, you’ll never kill enough doves to make it worthwhile to start a fire to cook any,’ he said with a sly grin. “Give me that shotgun and I’ll get us a mess of doves.”
I handed Gary my shotgun. Six shots, six doves down. Turning toward me he said, “Bird boy, retrieve those those six doves while I finish my limit.” Moments later I watched has he indeed filled his limit with my .410 shotgun, never missing a shot at the erratic flying mourning doves.
Long before we started TWA Gary was a world class shotgun shooter and was part of both the All American Skeet and Trap Teams. He too was a fierce competitor shooting pigeons at many competitions and remains the only shooter to win the World’s Championship Pigeon Shooting title multiple times.
Last fall while hunting my place in northern Colorado County’s Zimmerscheidt Community north of Columbus my thoughts were on my old friend when I miraculously dropped a fast flying dove. I could hear the slight breeze whispering Machen’s voice, “Whysoooon, didn’t know you could hit anything with a shotgun! Must have been a pure accident!”
It has been a while since I hunted pronghorn, truly one of wildlife conservation’s success stories. I will frankly tell you that one of my pet peeves is when our majestic pronghorn is referred to as goats or speed goats. They are not goats nor are they even closely related to such. They are an ancient species that evolved on the plains of North America. They have true horns and the outer sheaths are shed annually. No other antelope species in the world does such.
My last hunts for pronghorn were with Wildlife Systems near Marathon. Greg Simons graciously helped me set up those hunts through his outfitting company. I have written about those hunts many times and even had several television programs air those hunts.
On one of those hunts I took an extremely long-horned buck, with 17-inch plus horns. It’s my best pronghorn by far out of several others taken in Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming and Colorado.
Many years ago while wearing my wildlife biologist hat I was involved in catching pronghorns on the famed Rock B Ranch and relocating them to numerous ranches in western and northern Texas. Recalling those animals and remembering the bucks I took hunting near Marathon, maybe it’s time I again considered hunting pronghorn. Certainly if you have never hunted pronghorn in Texas, let me suggest you do so!
Whitetails? I’ll simply say “Yes!” Come Sept. 28, the MLDP opening whitetail date, I will be on the Cotton Ranch east of Dallas. It’s now one of my favorite places on Earth, where I plan to match wits with a buck I passed last hunting season.
Texas hunting seasons are knocking on our doors. Some thankfully began the first days of our ninth, glorious month. Indeed, the door is opening to “the season of painted leaves.”
It’s going to be a great whitetail year. In September antler development is complete and the velvet is about to come off.
Larry credits luck for a dove he felled on his place in Colorado County.
The Managed Lands Deer Program and Families Who Hunt in Texas
ARTICLE BY BRITTANY WEGNER and ABIGAIL HOLMES
The Texas A&M Natural Resources Institute hosts The Land Steward Podcast each month with specialists in the field with diverse backgrounds to have relatable conversations about land and wildlife stewardship. In Episode 7, podcast host Brittany Wegner took the show on the road to her family’s ranch in the Hill Country to share candid interactions and discussions about managing deer populations as a family and how that experience has shifted the mindset on the ranch.
Before hoping in the truck from the studio, she shared some background on Texas Parks and Wildlife’s Managed Lands Deer Program, which was created to “foster and support sound management and stewardship of native wildlife and wildlife habitats on private lands in Texas.” The program is entirely voluntary for landowners and offers both a harvest and conservation option. Working in collaboration with your local TPWD wildlife biologist, they will consider the conditions of your property, your wildlife management goals, the data from population surveys and other ecological factors that make up the larger picture of your land to determine a healthy white-tailed deer population carrying capacity and the number of tags that could be filled in each season.
The scene shifts to the back porch of her multigenerational family ranch in the Hill Country. In the middle of a rare September rain shower, you can hear a few voices raise over the rain drops as they chat about their recent deer surveys and, occasionally, you hear the familiar—thwack—of an arrow released out on their practice target behind them.
Her family began collecting data on deer populations in 2020, when their TPWD biologist, Joyce Moore, began teaching them about deer populations, hunting, surveys and more. During their first year in the program, the buckdoe ratio on their property was gravely out of balance,
During the first year in the program, the buck-doe ratio on their property was gravely out of balance, creating a cascade of other challenges...
creating a cascade of other challenges like low fawn survival, overgrazed browse lines and overall low weights on deer. Moore allocated 67 doe tags that year to launch their management plan, bringing their free-range herd back to a healthier capacity. Their biologist completed a vegetation survey on the property, taught them to identify which plant species deer prefer, and showed them how maintaining levels of deer and cattle so high over the land’s carrying capacity was creating bare, unhealthy ground. Although they remember the first year being hard work with a steep learning curve, ultimately, the sobering process helped the family learn how to restore ecosystem balance to the land.
During the podcast her dad relays his personal experience of growing up on the land, leaving to pursue a career elsewhere, and once again finding a passion for land stewardship as an adult. The process became personal for him, like many other land stewards, when he began to
The Managed Lands Deer Program and Families Who Hunt in Texas
see how land stewardship benefited his family and loved ones. Protecting the land not only for self-interest but conserving it for future generations to use and enjoy. His renewed passion has brought new life to the ranch and his willingness to gain knowledge has been a major contributor to improving their land health.
At that point, Brittany’s grandfather, who dozed off for a rainy-day porch nap under the live oaks, sheepishly grinned at the scene of his family enjoying the afternoon. She asked him what it is like to watch the family come together over the fun, chaotic task of deer surveys.
“It’s been encouraging. We really had no idea before we started doing surveys what our deer population was. We knew it was probably too many, but Joyce helped us tremendously in getting a handle on this and realizing the need to reduce the herd. And of course, after we reduced the herd, we got hit with a drought and a horrible cold spell, which probably killed a few more deer than we expected. But now we’ve got plenty for them to eat, even in a relatively droughty situation. And the deer herd is certainly recovering significantly, so that’s encouraging,” he said.
On a landowner’s first year in the program, they will always start with the harvest option to see if it is the right fit for their property—this is a sort of do-it-yourself option for MLD participation and provides landowners with more deer harvest recommendations, tag issuance and general guidance about wildlife and habitat management. Participation in this option does not require habitat management practices, deer population data or technical assistance from TPWD. This option can be considered the lowest barrier to entry to figure out if the program is a good fit for a given property.
The conservation option, which her family now operates under, offers the opportunity to work directly with a TPWD biologist to get ranch-specific habitat and deer harvest recommendations tailored to the individual landowner and their operation. This option does not require much more than the harvest option, but landowners are required to report certain types of deer data and specific habitat management practices each year. TPWD has seven different categories of wildlife habitat management practices that qualify—practices that most landowners are likely doing under regular property management.
Her family finds it helpful to maintain records of their activities from a land management perspective to see shifts and trends over time. Through documentation of biological data, they have been able to see changes in live weight, dress weight, antler growth, lactation on does and several other datapoints that provide crucial insight into the health of a population.
The decision to shift their mindset to a conservationminded perspective resulted in increased deer weight, nutrition on the ground, and diverse forage options through tougher summer and winter months. Willingness to create a new mindset, learn what was best for their property, and have open conversations allowed this family of land stewards to create a healthier ecosystem for native plants and wildlife and a healthier land management operation.
You can listen in on this episode of The Land Steward Podcast anytime on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
Ringquist Helps Lifelong Vintner Reach His Winery Dream
ARTICLE & PHOTO BY BRAUN & GRESHAM ATTORNEYS AT LAW
“I
love the history and the cultural heritage of wine and winemaking,” begins winemaker Sergio Cuadra. “We’re working with a product that has been around for literally thousands of years and has been made essentially the same way for centuries – we use the same or similar yeast, we use the same wooden barrels. So many things nowadays become obsolete within just a few years; I love the fact that we’re keeping this product the same as it’s always been.”
Some of Cuadra’s earliest memories are of visiting an old winery that his grandfather managed in his native country of Chile. Yet, he never intended to pursue winemaking until he took a college course in viticulture – the cultivation of grapevines – from an especially inspiring professor. Cuadra was entangled.
“Winemaking is a fascinating activity that depends wholly on who’s in charge,” he notes. “If you give the same grape to three winemakers, you’ll end up with three different wines.”
Cuadra had been working as a winemaker in Chile for almost 20 years when a fellow vintner introduced him to the owners of Central Texas’ Fall Creek Vineyards. Cuadra came for a visit to Fall Creek in 2013, and the owners decided to bring him aboard as their winemaker. Together, Cuadra and the original owners built Fall Creek into not only a flourishing vineyard, but also a thriving business.
When one of the original owners passed unexpectedly in 2023, the owner’s wife took over temporarily but was ultimately ready for retirement. Handing over the reins to Cuadra seemed like natural evolution.
“We had accomplished a lot during the prior decade and had built a solid relationship over the years,” affirms Cuadra. “They treated me very well and were very happy with my work, and happy to pass the winery on to me and the two other investors I had invited into this new chapter.”
The only caveat: Cuadra needed to finalize his purchase of Fall Creek by April 1, 2025 – the 50th anniversary of the vineyard – and by the time his regular attorney told him the deal was too complex for her to handle, that deadline was just a week or two away.
“A business and real-estate purchase like this is typically a three-tofive-month project, and we had two weeks,” says Stephen Ringquist, attorney and counselor with Braun & Gresham. “This was one of the quickest purchase-and-close deals I’ve ever been involved with.”
“Texas has become a hotbed for wineries,” Ringquist attests. “And Braun & Gresham is well-equipped and experienced in taking on the demand for wineries and dealing with all the related legal issues.”
Cuadra provided Ringquist with the agreements drafted by the seller’s attorney, which were naturally written from a seller’s perspective.
“I gave the documents to Stephen to review,” Cuadra recalls. “And once he gave me his first impressions of it, I realized how much I needed some extremely expert legal advice.”
“Sergio had never bought a business before,” agrees Ringquist. “This was not just a real-estate transaction, it was a business transaction for a landowner. He didn’t just buy the land; he bought the winery business and also set up his
“Drinking wine is such a human endeavor... Some scholars have suggested alcohol consumption in general made civilization possible.”
own business for it, including investors and entity documentation, so there was a lot of work to do in addition to the real-estate deal. My experience – in mergers and acquisitions and real estate law, as well as dealing with hospitality businesses, including wineries – turned out to be exactly what he needed at the time.”
“Stephen was willing to jump in with both feet,” Cuadra remembers. “He saw every little corner within the writings that could affect us, or that we could change to cover our interests or improve our position. He walked us through every detail, every step of the way. And every meeting or conversation we had, we got down to the point immediately, never wasting a second of anyone’s time.”
Which was critical, because with only two weeks to complete the purchase, time was of the essence. Ringquist and his team – along with the seller’s legal team – worked with exceptional dedication almost round the clock to get the deal done thoroughly, properly, and on-time.
“We got to the point where we were all in a meeting room together, committed to hashing through the details until we left with an agreed-upon draft just about ready to be signed,” notes Cuadra. “Stephen and his team made sure we understood the consequences of every single item. We ended up with a fair agreement everyone was happy
with, and I knew there were no loose ends. Stephen was absolutely essential, and we felt very well taken care of by him and his team.”
Drinking wine is such a human endeavor,” Cuadra concludes. “Some scholars have suggested alcohol consumption in general made civilization possible. We were all separate tribes, not friendly to each other, but add a little wine and the barriers begin to diminish. Imagine what could have happened after a few shared glasses. We start to come together.”
Wineglasses definitely clinked at Fall Creek Vineyards just a few days after Cuadra’s purchase was finalized, as interested parties gathered to honor both the winery’s golden anniversary and the transfer of its ownership – a real celebration of wine and its power to bring people together in more ways than one.
For more information or to speak with an attorney, please contact Braun & Gresham at (512) 894-5426 or visit our website at www.braungresham.com .
Getting Around Texas
ARTICLE BY THE HON. KEN WISE
If one piece of infrastructure is critical to an area the size of Texas, it’s our roads. There are approximately 315,000 miles of public roads in Texas. If you want to get there in Texas, you’re on the road. It’s always been that way.
Spain claimed the area known as Texas with Spanish Explorer Francisco Vázquez de Coronado in the mid-16th century. As Spain and later Mexico employed the Mission/ Presidio system of churches and forts in an attempt to
occupy their claimed land, it became critical to create a system of roads.
However, when the Spanish arrived, numerous indigenous tribes had been travelling across Texas for centuries. These intrepid travelers would have sought out and marked the best places to cross water, the locations of fresh water, and the easiest passages through the wide variety of terrains Texas offered. As the Spanish explorers began to travel around Texas, they would have used these paths and cre-
Located near the important trading center of Rancheria Grande--a diverse settlement of 23 indigenous nations when Spanish explorers first encountered it in the 18th century--the Conner Swales illustrate historical travel patterns along El Camino Real de los Tejas. The trail swales are shallow, linear depressions formed by human and animal traffic over many years of use. The Conner Swales are located on private property near Gause in Milam County.
PHOTO COURTESY NATIONAL PARK SERVICE
ated various ancillary trails to accommodate men, horses and equipment.
A road connecting two capitals in New Spain was called a “royal road” or an El Camino Real. The El Camino Real de los Tejas was the main road connecting Monclova, the capital of the Spanish state of Coahuila, to Los Adaes, the capital of the Spanish province of Texas. These royal roads, particularly the Camino Real de los Tejas, served many important purposes. The primary objective, at least initially, was to provide a means for the Spanish missionaries and their accompanying soldiers to enter Texas and build the mission/presidio system.
Given its nature, the El Camino Real is a hard historical relic to preserve. Many of the trails that comprise part of the Camino are now used as routes for modern highways.
However, in 1685, René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, entered Matagorda Bay. He intended to establish a French foothold in Texas. He established a small settlement often
referred to as Fort St. Louis. These efforts, of course, drew Spanish attention. Alonso de Leon was dispatched to find and destroy the invading French. He followed the path that would become the El Camino Real de las Tejas to locate the Frenchman. While de Leon would find only the remnants of the fort destroyed by Karankawa Indians, his use of the road demonstrated its importance in providing a way for the Spanish to resist invasion from foreign powers.
The road would also provide a way to interact with the various Indian tribes who had begun to loosely ally with the French. Trade up and down the El Camino Real would help prevent the Indians from relying too heavily on the French, possibly causing further problems from Spanish claims in Texas. Lastly, the El Camino Real would eventu-
This deep swale is indicative of a Camino Real trail in East Texas. Heavily-used main and secondary trails along the royal road traversed Texas between Natchitoches, LA and Mexico City.
(Left) Located on the trail in San Augustine, Mission Dolores was established in 1717, abandoned in 1719, and re-established in 1721. This second location was chosen for its proximity to a stream and a large, level patch of arable land. Although there are no above-ground remains, archaeological research has uncovered cow and ox bones, horse trappings, broken knife blades, and gun flints that offer clues of everyday life at the mission.
(Above) Evidence of the Camino Real wagon trail is worn in the limestone bedrock at McKinney Falls State Park in Travis County.
A hiking trail was opened along the Camino Real in Floresville, Wilson County, 2014.
PHOTO COURTESY EL CAMINO REAL DE
PHOTO COURTESY EL CAMINO REAL DE LOS TEJAS NATIONAL HISTORIC TRAIL ASSOCIATION
The newly designated El Camino Real de los Tejas National Historic Trail was originally established to connect a series of missions and posts between Monclova, Mexico and Los Adaes, the first capital of the province of Texas (in what is now northwestern Louisiana). It constituted the only primary overland route from the Rio Grande to the Red River Valley in Louisiana during the Spanish Colonial Period from 1690 - 1821. For additional information about El Camino Real de los Tejas, please visit www.nps.gov/elete
ally provide a way for immigrants to arrive in the Spanish, then Mexican province, in the failed attempt to populate the province of Texas with loyal Mexican immigrants from the United States.
Describing “the” El Camino Real can be confusing. The royal road is really a network of roads connecting important aspects of Spanish business in Texas. Some of the names of these various smaller routes included the Camino Pita, Camino Medio, the Camino Arriba, the Old Spanish Trail, the Old San Antonio Road, the Upper Road, and the Lower Road. It’s tempting to think of a “road” in our modern context of exact routes and improved highways. In early Texas, however, one would take the easiest, least dangerous route that provided water and avoided hostile terrain or people. As a result, the “road” was more of a general route consisting of several different trails all generally headed in the same direction.
Almost every significant event in Texas history would have involved the El Camino Real. Bernardo de Galvez fed his soldiers with Texas beef driven east along the Camino during the American Revolution. His aid was essential to preventing England from using the Mississippi River and allowing the Continental Army to be supplied from the west. San Antonio de Bexar became a hotbed of anti-royal sentiment during the Mexican revolution. Travel to and from this critical point occurred over the Camino.
Stephen F. Austin utilized the Camino to assess the prospects for American immigrants to Mexican Texas. He
called Texas, “…the most beautiful [land] I ever saw.” He used the Camino to travel to secure his colony and deal with Mexican authorities in the interior. When his “Old 300” colonists arrived, they did so on the El Camino Real. When the Texas Revolution became necessary, the dictator Santa Anna utilized the El Camino Real on his march to face Travis at the Alamo. Likewise, the men at the Alamo took the same road in the opposite direction to meet their fate in Bexar.
Given its nature, the El Camino Real is a hard historical relic to preserve. Many of the trails that comprise part of the Camino are now used as routes for modern highways. State Highway 21, Interstate 10, U.S. Highway 59, and countless farm-to-market and ranch roads all utilize the old El Camino Real. Suppose you travel from Laredo to San Antonio, Brownsville to Goliad, Houston, or Nacogdoches from almost any direction. In that case, you are driving the El Camino Real. 1915 Texas employed surveyor V.N. Zivley to survey and mark the El Camino Real. Zivley’s work resulted in the mapping and marking of 540 miles of road designated
Footprints in the Sand
ARTICLE BY JON BRAUCHLE
It began with footprints in the sand in a place where they shouldn’t have been--some two miles in from the south shoreline of Baffin Bay on the 200,000-acre portion of the historic Kenedy Ranch owned by the John G. Kenedy Jr. Charitable Trust. The Kenedy Trust is a veritable wildlife paradise where hunting hasn’t been allowed for decades. It’s a place where white-tailed deer, javelina, turkey and other native species of wildlife are given the opportunity to die by natural selection. Trophy white-tailed bucks abound there, and as one game warden who worked the area for many years put it, “they’re as tame as milk
cows.” Indeed, many of those trophy deer have never seen a human, much less been shot at, making them easy pickings for those inclined to do what they ought not to.
There have always been those types. Poachers, thieves, outlaws, or whatever you want to call them, willing to take a shot at getting caught to poach trophy deer. Many times, they’re the guys whose penchant for poaching is accompanied by a compulsion to brag about their exploits, and their tales grow taller each time they’re told. Heck, if you listen to some of them, you’d think they were Rambo and Robin Hood rolled into one.
Posted signs, such as this one on the Kenedy Ranch, go largely ignored by poachers.
PHOTO BY MIKE FAIN
Most law-abiding, conservation-minded outdoor enthusiasts would never know of any of those exploits, save for the growing number of podcasts where the poachers/thieves/ outlaws are given a platform to tell their stories while the podcast host, with a wink and a nod about how it was “different back then,” giggles along with and glorifies the stories told. Whether those podcast hosts are aware of it or not (how could they not be?), they are in effect providing a masterclass on how to trespass onto property and kill trophy deer, complete with all the intricacies of cutting off the trophy head and leaving the rest for the coyotes.
But back to those footprints. It was around 9 a.m. on Feb. 6, 1998, when Game Warden Matt Robinson first laid eyes on them. Matt and six other wardens, a seasoned group that included Mike Fain, Sam Ilse, Jason McFall, Hector Garza, Jeff Parrish and Norman Anthony, along with long time Kenedy Ranch security man Joe Stiles, were cutting sign (looking for footprints) along a section of Paistle Rd., a private caliche road that runs from Highway 77 south of Sarita through the Kenedy Ranch all the way to the Laguna Madre.
After confirming that the prints hadn’t come from one of the other wardens, Matt got on his radio and, using GPS coordinates, called everyone over to his location. After a brief consultation, the collective thought on the tracks was that they belonged to a backpack-hunter and were probably at least a day old. A man can cover a lot of ground in a day.
The wardens formulated a plan to make up for lost time in which a couple of trackers would stay on verified tracks while others would leapfrog up and circle around to see if tracks could be located further along. Joe Stiles, who knew the lay of the land on the Kenedy better than anyone, stayed with his truck to shuttle the wardens where they needed to be.
Charles Beaty’s day-old boot print on the Kenedy Ranch (top). Warden’s knew they were getting closer to Beaty as his boot prints became more defined (bottom).
Wardens cutting sign, or tracking, on the Kenedy Ranch.
The men were tracking through rolling coastal plains dotted with sand dunes, scrub brush, salt flats and thick oak motts, and their speed varied with the terrain. Tracking slowed considerably in the oak motts, where footprints were indiscernible and less reliable indicators of direction of travel had to be considered; a turned over leaf here or a scuff mark there. There were times when the trail was lost completely. In fact, the wardens almost called it quits a couple of times, but the team worked well together and time after time managed to find enough sign to keep them going.
As sunset neared, the backpacker’s tracks were getting more distinct. Wardens could make out the brand name from the sole of the boot in the sand. By this time, the wardens had been following the trail for about 18 miles. They were close. They followed the tracks into some thicker brush before coming out on some sand dunes that were covered with small oaks. As Matt, Mike, Sam, Jason and Jeff were huddled up over the most recent sign, Jeff looked up, pointed and said, “There’s a face!” Mike yelled, “Get your hands up!” Matt took off running.
The following is the account of what happened next as told by the backpacker, the self-anointed “Prince of Poachers,” Charles Beaty, as released on the May 2, 2025, episode of the Western Territory podcast titled The Prince of Poachers:
“They (the wardens) came over a hill at my back. They came up behind me. And I heard ‘em--and one of ‘em just couldn’t contain himself--he laid eyes on me, and he goes, “There he is! Right there!” he just, he screamed out! I turned around and came up to one knee and looked, and they were running. There was a wall of eight men
Game wardens Robinson and McFall check Charles Beaty for weapons following an 18 mile trail.
Game wardens handcuff Charles Beaty on the Kenedy Ranch after a daylong pursuit.
running at me at 18 yards and closing fast, drawing guns-guns drawn--ran right up to me--“get ‘em higher!” I’m on my knees with my hands up; stuck five pistols to my head and stuffed my face down on the ground and handcuffed me and left me laying there for a while and all their voices, you know, I could listen to everything they were saying …”
And this is Game Warden Matt Robinson’s account of what really happened:
“I hadn’t seen him (the backpacker), but I took off running in the direction Jeff had pointed. I had taken about 10 steps before I saw him sitting and eating a candy bar. He saw me about the same time and stood up as if he wanted to run, but didn’t know which way to go. I was shouting for him not to move as I was running toward him. I had noticed that Jeff and Mike had spread out to the left and right and were running to surround him. The guy never ran, and when I got to him, I put him on the ground and ended up on his back with him face down. Jason arrived almost immediately out of nowhere, knocked me off him and had him handcuffed in no time flat.”
There were no guns drawn and pointed at his head. After he was handcuffed, Beaty was stood up and patted down for weapons. He was then placed under arrest and taken to the Kenedy County Courthouse, where he was taken before a
judge and charged with Hunting Without the Consent of the Landowner and Hunting Deer in a Closed Season. He was placed in jail, and he bonded out later that evening.
When all was said and done, Beaty got off pretty light for a guy who, on the Aug. 3, 2021 episode of “Hunters Advantage Podcast,” boasted of taking part in the poaching of 116 trophy bucks off the Kenedy Ranch in the years before his capture, 73 of which he killed himself. He received an 18-month probated sentence and paid $500 plus court costs.
Charles Beaty wasn’t on anyone’s radar prior to the day he got caught, but every guy like him is on every game warden’s radar each day they put on the badge. And on that February day in 1998, Joe Stiles and those seven game wardens gave their all. They spent nine hours tracking Beaty over 18 miles of rough terrain. When they finally caught up to him, they put on a masterclass on how to take down a poacher/thief/outlaw in the brush. Beaty’s arrest was handled professionally by a group of game wardens (and Joe) who knew how to handle themselves, and as Matt acknowledges, it probably wouldn’t have happened if just one of them hadn’t been there. It was a team effort. They were relentless, and it paid off.
As a game warden, you just never know. Every day is something new. It’s a given that your pot of gold probably won’t come at the end of the rainbow, but sometimes, you might like what you find if you follow those footprints in the sand.
Through the eyes of its past presidents Reflections of TWA
This article, written by former TWA CEO Gary Joiner, appeared in the August 2010 issue of Texas Wildlife. We are re-printing it in honor of our 40th anniversary. Another installment featuring the presidents from 2010 to date will appear in the December issue of Texas Wildlife.
The Texas Wildlife Association has been blessed with a talented group of leaders who have served the organization as president. Each of the organization’s 12 past presidents brought a unique vision and set of skills to the top leadership position at just the right time in the history and maturation of TWA.
In celebrating TWA’s 25th anniversary each past president was asked to reflect on their two years of service and those accomplishments or memories that marked their term as TWA President.
MCLEAN BOWMAN (1985 – 1987)
“I first have to paint a picture of what it was like when I first started. Of course, I didn’t know I was going to be elected president, so it was totally disorganized. There was no office, no secretary and no money. Everybody was looking at me to do something about it.
Of course, there’s going to be a little humor in telling that part of it. At that time, we organized an office in the back of somebody’s house. They had a little house behind their main house in a residential area of town (San Antonio). We had to lend money to start the Texas Wildlife Association, and then we hired an executive secretary.
I was in a favorable position in that 25 years ago I had come from the Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s Wildlife Committee. I was the head of their Wildlife Committee at that time in history, and I felt there was a demand for something like TWA.
I think the instinct among many landowners was there needed to be an organization in Texas where the emphasis was on wildlife, wildlife habitat and stewardship.”
McLean passed away on June 30, 2025.
McLean Bowman
GARY MACHEN (1987 — 1989)
“There were about 50 of us who started this organization. We had a meeting in Kerrville one day, and I think there were 50 people at that meeting. And the best I can remember is that everybody signed up that day. And that was the genesis of the whole thing.
I was pretty tough sledding. It took a lot of work to keep this thing going financially, trying to suck enough money to just keep things going.
I was very proud of all the permit things that we have accomplished. The MLDP permit, the DMP permit and the Triple T permit. I think to our membership those are some of things that are just as important as anything we’ve ever done because we’ve got a lot of members who use those permits.”
Gary passed away on Dec. 15, 2020.
RICHARD BUTLER (1989 — 1991)
“Towards the end of my term as president, Gayle Harris was leaving as executive director. When Gayle was ready to leave, we went on a talent hunt.
The Executive Committee met at Steve Lewis’ house, and we sat around his living room and interviewed a number of candidates, maybe about six or seven candidates. There were some nice people, to be sure, but none of them made us think that this is the person who’s going to do this for us.
Steve Lewis disappeared for a while and resurfaced. I don’t even know where he went. He came up to me and said, ‘Richard, I want to talk with you. I’ve just spoken with David Langford, and he might, I think, if we offer him this job, he might take it, but he’s got some conditions.’
So, we called David over, and we met with him, and he said, ‘Yes, I’ll do it.’
And he told us about his plans for the association, what he would like to do, and it all sounded great, and everybody was all fired up. But he said, ‘I’m going to do it under one condition, and that is that Charly McTee has to come with me.’ It didn’t take long for us to decide.
Their service to the association is what really brought TWA forward, both in terms of membership, influence, and it really changed our profile in Austin. And that’s what really made the Texas Wildlife Association, the powerful forces that it is in today’s Texas.”
STEVE C. LEWIS (1991 — 1993)
“I was very focused on membership. I was very focused on growing this thing, one person at a time. I had run my list. I was interested in many people getting their lists.
As I recall, I got Mike Reynolds and Nelson Puett from Austin interested. I got Happy Rogers going. The circles of influence multiplied, and that’s when we went from 300 to 800 members, and we’re at 5,000 now. And when we go to 6,000, it will be with the same formula.
It’s just somebody who is passionate about it and who cares about it enough to take the time to contact a dozen or two dozen people in their sphere of influence and write them a personal letter that says it’s important to me that you join TWA for one year, please. If you don’t like it fine but give it a year.
Richard Butler
Gary Machen
You know who’s apt to enjoy it, so you write those people. I don’t know for sure, but I would think that of the first 100 people I was able to get in, I bet you 90% of them are still members. And in my mind, that’s the way this thing grows—one circle at a time.”
WALLACE “HAPPY” ROGERS III (1993 — 1995)
“The part that I really enjoyed was traveling the state, meeting people who have remained friends, meeting new people, meeting ranchers, meeting hunters, meeting conservation-minded people.
At that time, one of our great goals was membership. That is what we were really focusing on. So we initiated the first ‘rush party,’ so to speak. We traveled to Dallas, we traveled to Houston, and we went down to the main of King Ranch. We went all over the state trying to spread the message and, hopefully, we did a pretty good job of it. It was a lot of fun.”
LUKE KELLOGG (1995 — 1997)
“I remember we were very busy. It was a group effort. At that time, as it is today, you worked your way up through the board. We had lots of things going on, and I remember as president, you were sort of ‘captain of the ship’ for two years, but there were a lot of people rowing the boat.
We had several good successes with legislative efforts, which we can talk about. And then one of our better success
Steve C. Lewis
Wallace Rogers III
Luke Kellogg
stories from that period was taking the TWA magazine to color.
One of the things that I recall just from being president was my interaction with the staff and how fine the staff was here—and is here. David Langford, Charly McTee, Sharron Jay. All those people we worked with on a daily basis.
In one of the sadder but more poignant periods during my presidency, we lost Charly at that time. He was such an incredible guy. What a character and fantastic asset for the association.”
PAUL MCSWEEN III (1997 — 1999)
“I would say what stands out in my memory during my presidency as my greatest accomplishment is the structure and organization that we brought to TWA.
During my two years as president, I spent a lot of time with David Langford working on business structure. We brought in a person just to focus on education, and we brought in a person just to focus on legislative work. And we brought in a person just to focus on Big Game Awards. And we brought in someone just to focus on fundraising and marketing.
That was over a two-year period, but our budget doubled during that time, and we had a lot of contributions, and we had a lot of people who stood up — members who were willing to help fund that staff. It really helped propel TWA into statewide organization that people recognized.”
JAMES L. HAYNE JR. (1999 — 2001)
“What I’m most proud of is recruiting Charles Davidson and having a hand in identifying Tina (Buford) as a future president. It’s all about having leaders who are better than the last one.
One of my favorite memories, and I don’t know if it was during my tenure or not, was the convention night when Lee Bass’ longhorn steer escaped onto the golf course at the Hyatt (Hill Country Resort and Spa). Seeing Lee’s cowboys in their bathing suits with ropes in hand, taking off on golf carts, was classic. Ask (David) Langford. We sat and watched the show and howled.”
DERRY GARDNER (2001 — 2003)
“My goal at the time was to bring the founders back into the organization and get them very involved. And that was with Gary (Machen), Larry (Weishuhn) and Murphy (Ray). I don’t know the exact number, but they were at almost every one of my Executive Committee meetings.
It was very important for me to have them there because I wanted their advice in helping us. At that particular time, we were involved in the CWD (Chronic Wasting Disease) issue and a lot of deer issues, and that’s what those guys founded this operation on—and to be able to do what they wanted to do, within reason, on private property. So it was important for me to have them involved, so I was very proud of the fact that I was able to get them back involved in the organization.”
Paul McSween III
James L. Hayne Jr.
JIMMIE V. THURMOND III (2003 — 2005)
The watershed moment during 2003 when I became president was water. The watershed for us was whether we were going to be involved or not. And, admittedly, some of my first reactions were, where are these swamp and water guys? This wasn’t where we were supposed to fit.
Fortunately, I came to realize it would have been an abdication on our part if we had not entered that argument and this fight. And it’s still going on now.
I think we would’ve permanently relegated ourselves to a lesser role. If you look at the stage of the whole of everything that can affect wildlife, particularly rural land and landowners in this state, we would have been over on one corner of it, and that could have had spillover into the other things that we wanted to do.
When you hold yourself out as someone who is competent and capable to create and advocate an educational program to teach others about wildlife and land, and to have been in a very narrow set of issues, I think we would have decapitated this organization that could have had effects now, if not well beyond now.”
CHARLES
M. DAVIDSON (2005 — 2007)
“One of the things that makes me the proudest during that timeframe was that we were able to establish a Deer Management Committee. It allowed us to tackle deer-related issues in the depth that they deserved. We were struggling to get that done with everything else we were working on.
Derry Gardner
Jimmie V. Thurmond III
Charles M. Davidson
I was able to assemble a group of committee members who went across the spectrum from intensive to extensive managers and covered all the bases. We had some great work and great products, and it continues today.
One offshoot from that that I’m particularly proud of was a joint exercise that included the Deer Management Committee and the Executive Committee. We developed our Wildlife Management and Hunting Heritage statement that provides a guiding philosophy of the organization when it comes to matters of wildlife management and hunting heritage.”
RANDY REHMANN (2007 — 2009)
“I think it started out with the reorganization of our staff, hiring Gary (Joiner), and putting a Texas Tech guy at the helm. And I don’t know if I’m proud of that or not (laughing). But I think we worked through a lot of tough situations, and I think we’ve got a great organization that meets those needs.
Then I have to jump to all the events we had. We had great membership and educational events in Houston and in West Texas. I think about South Texas and Karla and Irvin [Welch] and the great event they put on. And then Austin. We had a great membership event—and then Boots on the Ground. I think we had over 250 people, TWA people, come to Austin, and we had a great event that night, and then most of them went to the Capitol the next day.
But I think the single greatest moment was when Keith Crawford was able to announce at the Executive Committee that Team Austin got 170 memberships at the one event it had, which was greater than Team Houston; I think that’s my crowning event.”
Randy passed away on Feb. 9, 2021.
Randy Rehmann
Technology in Wildlife Research and Management
ARTICLE &
BY JOSEPH RICHARDS
PHOTOS
A technician using VHF radio telemetry to track quail and collect data on space and habitat use, nesting success, and cause-specific mortality.
Renowned American biologist Edward O. Wilson once stated, “humanity is now fully in the technoscientific age, and there is no turning back.” Technological advancements have revolutionized our understanding of the natural world. Scientific knowledge is believed to double every 15 - 20 years, but this time interval will undoubtedly shorten as scientists keep up with the amassing amount of information collected and communicated across the globe.
The fields of wildlife and range management are relatively young disciplines when compared to the historical context of human society. The first comprehensive text to formally conceptualize the idea was published in Aldo Leopold’s classic “Game Management” in 1933. The five tools for game management Dr. Leopold mentioned are axe, cow, plow, fire and gun. These tools, as designed for the practicing manager, provide a framework for management actions that has expanded to include a wide variety of modern tools-all of which have benefited from creative improvements and the availability of emerging technologies.
Wildlife and range management incorporate many technologies from a variety of disciplines to develop techniques and procedures that answer extraordinarily complex questions with precise and objective measures. The application of innovative technologies is indicative of a progressive science that seeks the means to further the wealth of knowledge for land managers and stewards--equipping them with the tools needed to meet their management goals.
The Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch (RPQRR), located near Roby, TX, offers an exceptional example of a field station employing some of the latest technologies in the field of wildlife research. The Rolling Plains Quail Research Foundation and the RPQRR were established to provide a living laboratory to test land management strategies for the benefit of quail and serve as an exemplar property to demonstrate the best methodologies and techniques to “students of quail.” Some of the first trapping and ecological studies at the RPQRR represent an 18-year continuous dataset thanks to full-time staff and a dedicated team of seasonal technicians and graduate students.
“If you want to understand how an animal interacts with a changing environment or landscape, you must follow it for a long period of time. That is why RPQRR is unique. There are not many places with a continuous block of data on movement patterns, nesting availability, habitat quality, just to name a few, on a particular species,” said Dr. Dan Foley, research scientist and principal land management consultant for RPQRR. “The information we glean from the RPQRR will help further management decisions with more detailed aspects of quail ecology and behavior.”
RADIO TELEMETRY
So how do researchers collect data on a 6-inch-tall wild game bird roaming over a 4,820-acre ranch?
Very high frequency (VHF) radio telemetry. is a tool used by biologists and researchers for identifying the location of an animal tagged with a transmitter device (usually a collar, ear tag or backpack). The researcher navigates by listening to a continuous beep or chirp using a directional antenna attached to a handheld radio receiver. The sound intensifies when the antennae is pointed in the direction of the transmitter. Tracking wildlife with VHF telemetry requires
intense effort and day-to-day dedication for collecting location data from each tagged individual.
VHF telemetry was considered the standard approach for tracking wildlife for decades but is now being outpaced by more efficient technologies. The application of Global Positioning System (GPS) technologies represents a quantum leap for wildlife research. These state-of-the-art devices give researchers a highly detailed view of an animal’s daily movements by recording numerous GPS locations at set time intervals (e.g., hourly).
“There’s pros and cons to both, but the quantity and quality of data you get from GPS devices is orders of magnitude better than VHF,” said Foley. The RPQRR strives to track approximately 200 radio collared quail per year. Over half are equipped with traditional VHF collars and the rest sport the modern GPS devices.
Given the limitations of labor, costs and time, researchers using traditional VHF transmitters generally collect only a single location point on an individual per day or every other day. Before GPS transmitters, a technician typically would collect only one location point per individual—offering only a relative view of an animal’s daily movements. VHF approach is also highly time intensive and has additional concerns over safety risks (rugged terrain, inclement weather) and the potential to disrupt an animal’s natural behavior.
“In addition to a location, GPS technology can incorporate built-in accelerometers to further measure the activity of an animal which allows researchers to fine-tune and discern activity patterns where and how an animal spends most of its time, sometimes on a minute-by-minute basis,” said Foley. By analyzing the rate or speed of travel by an animal, researchers can use this detailed information to interpret behaviors, movements, health and preferences of the individual.
A VHF radio-collared Northern bobwhite rooster performs his charismatic “bob-white” call from a shrub at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch.
Miniaturization of transmitter technologies has revolutionized the field by creating smaller devices with longerlasting batteries or solar-powered capabilities. The technological hardware for the first transmitters used for wildlife were so large that they could only be used on big game species (i.e., deer, elk) able to carry the weight. Now, there are transmitters small enough to sit on a bumblebee.
“In line with miniaturization of technologies allowing us to gather this data, the software and computing industries are advancing remarkably which impacts how biologists view data and ask questions,” said Foley said.
For a long time, GPS technologies were significantly more expensive than VHF. Only a few years ago, a GPS transmitter cost around $2000 while a VHF device was only $250. Given that research studies require adequate sample sizes that should represent the population in question, cost is a major consideration researchers must take when selecting transmitter types. The RPQRR has established HUB stations around the property that automatically download the data from a GPS device when the quail wanders within a specific distance of the station. The HUB stations represent an additional cost, but a researcher can recover thousands of location points in no time at all compared to VHF tracking.
Aside from precision, another significant advantage of GPS technology is the volume of data collected. Given the amassing amount of data, the newest challenge for researchers is
A Northern bobwhite hen equipped with a modern GPS backpackstyle transmitter at the Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch. The GPS transmitter is solar-powered and can collect thousands of location points a day.
An image from Kaleidoscope Pro software of a Northern bobwhite whistle. Scientists studying bioacoustics use visual imaging tools like Kaleidoscope Pro to analyze recorded vocalizations and interpret information.
organizing and analyzing comprehensive datasets. Given the higher quality and quantity of data obtained, many researchers are in favor of implementing contemporary GPS transmitters over traditional VHF.
“Everyone is converting to GPS technologies at a rapid rate. In the last five years, the economic cost has come down significantly, and now the costs for VHF and GPS transmitters are about even,” Foley said. Some electronic companies plan to stop charging for transmitters altogether and only charge service fees to download data from a server. Now that transmitter costs are more affordable and costs continue to fall, researchers will have the advantage of shifting to GPS technology.
DRONES
Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) and systems (UAS) or drones form one of the largest growing technologies in the field of wildlife research. Innovations using drone technology have emerged all over the globe for studying various species often in remote or inaccessible areas under niche circumstances. A few examples include using thermal or infrared imaging to count waterfowl nests, remotely deploying transmitters on surfacing baleen whales and suspending ultrasonic microphone recorders to detect bats around wind turbines. Improved battery life, camera technology, smaller size, analytical software and stabilization/functionality have supported the quick ascension of drones as a tool for research.
“We are experimenting with using drone technology to track VHF collars more precisely and relieve some of the manpower required with VHF tracking,” Foley said. “The drone can go really fast over remote areas. Every time the receiver picks up a signal, it records the location. While flying a grid pattern, it will pick up the same signal from multiple angles and triangulates the bird’s location.”
Drones may help technicians at the RPQRR reduce the time and effort required for tracking collared quail, while also increasing the precision of their monitoring efforts.
“When you start interacting with the animal to get the location, you might be influencing the behavior of the animal,” said Foley. “For VHF tracking quail, the technician needs to get within 40 - 60 meters of them or closer, and that might alter the bird’s behavior. The technologies we have now may help mitigate some of that potential bias.”
The research drone is equipped with thermal and infrared capabilities, allowing Dr. Foley or the technicians to detect if a quail is actively incubating a nest while maintaining a remote distance.
It should be noted that the use of drones to hunt, drive, capture, take, count or photograph any wildlife is unlawful in the state of Texas. Researchers must acquire special permits from the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department and a piloting license from the Federal Aviation Administration (which requires passing a comprehensive exam).
ARU s
A third technology implemented at the RPQRR includes Acoustic (or Autonomous) Recording Units or ARUs. These passive devices monitor the “soundscape” of an environment by continuously surveying species for their audible calls.
“ARUs have gained a lot of traction in the wildlife field in the last decade. There are a lot of animals that make their
Advancements in drone technology have resulted in increased use among wildlife researchers. The application of drones for monitoring quail is one of many ongoing research projects at the Research Ranch.
For remote collection of data from GPS transmitters, the Research Ranch has established HUB stations around the property that automatically download the data from a GPS device when the quail wanders within a specific distance of the station.
presence known vocally – birds, bats, amphibians,” Foley said. “Just like the GPS technology has evolved at the speed of light, so has the audio recording industry.”
Referred to as bioacoustics, this growing technique has been especially useful for detecting visually elusive or rare species. Dr. Foley sees the potential of ARUs for censusing quail at the RPQRR.
“At the RPQRR, we have multiple independent protocols for assessing population size—extensive trapping (capturemark-recapture) and helicopter surveys for estimating number of birds per acre. In addition to that, we have metrics for indexing quail such as spring call counts, fall covey call counts and roadside surveys to index how the population is changing over time,” Foley said. “Ideally, we are going
“I think these technologies will be revolutionary for the animals that have not been extensively studied yet. “
to test how well the recorder does against a human ear by correlating an index (number of bobwhite calls collected by an ARU or human) to an estimated population size which can tell us how accurate our indices are.”
Through the process of validating ARUs with population estimates from traditional surveys, Dr. Foley hopes that ARUs will provide a reliable and easy-to-implement index for land managers to use on their own properties and state biologist surveys.
The RPQRR currently has five ARU devices in strategic locations on the property. For the last year, each ARU device has collected continuous sound recordings every day for two hours at first light and two hours at dusk, an impossible feat for a human data collector.
“The downfall of both the GPS and ARUs is the data storage,” Foley said. “We gather terabytes of data about every three or four months. Data management is becoming the hardest part of any project.” The massive amounts of data often require trained artificial intelligence software to identify and count a species of interest in a timely manner.
CONCLUSION
The potential applications for integrating technologies into wildlife research remain immeasurable. What would have taken years of funding and field work can now be accomplished in fractions of the time with reduced effort. The progression of technology will contribute advanced insights to the conservation and management of other wildlife species.
In addition to improving our collective knowledge of quail, RPQRR provides a promising outlook for species with historically limited conservation efforts by assessing the efficacy of modern technologies such as GPS devices, drones and ARUs in wildlife research.
“I think these technologies will be revolutionary for the animals that have not been extensively studied yet. There are lots of critters that have a void of data because they are not a game animal or not charismatic, but the time it takes to elevate understudied animals to the same level of knowledge will be greatly reduced thanks to technology,” added Foley.
THERMAL DR FE SURVEYS
WHY DRONES?
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Game Map Add-On - Opt for our game map add-on to learn not only how many animals you have, but also where they are located across your land
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Less Pressure - Avoid putting unnecessary stress on your animals and running them into a fence or off your property
2024-2025
Texas Big Game Awards
The Texas Big Game Awards (TBGA) program goes beyond recognizing the exemplary big game species in Texas. TBGA celebrates the hunters who hunt them, the landowners who manage them and Texas hunting heritage cherished by so many.
“This summer and fall, we will recognize over 1,500 hunters and landowners through the Texas Big Game Awards, now in its 34th year. We are extremely proud to report that of those, over 340 were youth hunters, and more than 300 indicated that this was their first big game harvest in Texas,” said Matt Hughes, TWA director of Hunting Heritage.
TBGA is a free, certificate-based awards program coordinated through a partnership between TWA and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. The program continues to promote conservation education while recognizing quality habitat management and wildlife in Texas.
Of course, statewide sponsors help make the TBGA a success. TWA appreciates the support of Nyle Maxwell Family of Dealerships, Hixon Land and Cattle Co., Carters Country Outdoor Stores, Busch Light, Capital Farm Credit, Lee Hoffpauir Outdoor Stores and Yeti.
The hunters and landowners on the following pages were recognized at the annual TBGA celebration, sponsored by Lyssy and Eckel, as part of the TWA 40th Anniversary Convention held July 12, 2025 in San Antonio.
“On behalf of TWA, congratulations to these hunters and the land stewards who provide the habitat for these exceptional native Texas big game animals. We are looking forward to our 35th annual TBGAs which begin with the start of the 2025-26 hunting season,” Hughes said.
Learn more about TBGA at https://www.texas-wildlife.org/ texas-big-game-awards/
TEXAS SLAMS
GREG BUCK
TYPICAL WHITE-TAILED DEER
Burnet Co., 134-3/8”
TYPICAL MULE DEER
Oldham Co.185-2/8”
PRONGHORN
Hudspeth Co., 76-6/8”
JAVELINA
Hudspeth Co., Double U Ranch, 13-13/16”
ROB CINCLAIR
NON-TYPICAL WHITE-TAILED DEER
Concho Co., High Lonesome Ranch, 170-6/8”
NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 170-4/8”
PRONGHORN
Hudspeth Co., Double M Ranch, 79-2/8”
JAVELINA
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 14-5/16”
COREY FEARHEILEY
NON-TYPICAL WHITE-TAILED DEER
Concho Co., High Lonesome Ranch, 180”
NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 165-4/8”
PRONGHORN
Hudspeth Co., Double M Ranch, 76-4/8”
JAVELINA
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 14”
JUSTIN KIBBE
NON-TYPICAL WHITE-TAILED DEER
Concho Co., High Lonesome Ranch, 154-3/8”
NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER
Hudspeth Co., Sweetwater Ranch, 165”
PRONGHORN
Hudspeth Co., Sweetwater Ranch, 77”
JAVELINA
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 13-13/16”
STEVEN WOLFE
TYPICAL WHITE-TAILED DEER
Concho Co., High Lonesome Ranch, 146”
NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 162-6/8”
PRONGHORN
Hudspeth Co., Double M Ranch, 82-6/8”
JAVELINA
Brewster Co., El Cielo Ranch, 13-11/16”
JAVELINA
Best in Texas ADAM PARMA Maverick Co. 14-13/16”
Second Best in Texas JEFF CRITES Pecos Co. 14-9/16”
NON-TYPICAL MULE DEER
Best in Texas KANYON BROWN Lynn Co. 210-4/8”
Best in Texas GREG B. BUCK Oldham Co. 185-2/8”
Second Best in Texas ZANE LOVELESS Lubbock Co. 198-2/8” Loveless Ranch
TYPICAL MULE DEER
Second Best in Texas ROBERT PENNINGTON Cochran Co. 166-1/8” Yoakum Dunes WMA
Third Best in Texas NICOLE POWELL Maverick Co. 14-8/16”
Third Best in Texas MIKE WILLIAMS Jeff Davis Co. 195-5/8
Third Best in Texas SCOTT HARDISON Cochran Co. 163-6/8” Yoakum Dunes WMA
Best in Texas DAN MCBRIDE
Hudspeth Co. 85-4/8”
Double U Ranch
Best in Texas MICHAEL LYNCH McLennan Co. 238-7/8”
TYPICAL
Best in Texas ALEJANDRO BAILLERES Zavala Co. 191-1/8” Chaparrosa Ranch
PRONGHORN
Second Best in Texas BILL WILSON Brewster Co. 84-2/8” Wildlife Systems Inc.
Second Best in Texas JAMES RODEN Fort Bend Co. 210-1/8”
Third Best in Texas STEVEN WOLFE
Hudspeth Co. 82-6/8”
Double M Ranch
Third Best in Texas JUSTIN WIGLEY Angelina Co. 203-1/8”
DEER, LOW FENCE
Second Best in Texas ALEJANDRO BAILLERES Zavala Co. 179 1/8” Chaparrosa Ranch
Third Best in Texas SKYE CALLANTINE Dimmit Co. 178” Faith Ranch
Best in Texas JOHN METTING Atascosa Co. 240-2/8”
Best in Texas DAVID SHASHY Webb Co. 195” Sombrerito Ranch
Best in Texas RICHARD HOMMINGA Dimmit Co. 239-2/8”
Second Best in Texas JERRY BOGLE McMullen Co. 196-5/8”
Second Best in Texas JERRY WASCOM Webb Co. 181-5/8”
Cactus Jack Ranch
Second Best in Texas TREVOR REES-JONES Eastland Co. 201-1/8”
Cook Canyon Ranch
Third Best in Texas JERRY WASCOM Webb Co. 185-6/8”
Cactus Jack Ranch
Third Best in Texas GARY KOEHL LaSalle Co. 179-4/8”
Third Best in Texas JUSTIN PRIDMORE Stephens Co. 191-2/8”
A Reciprocal Exercise
BY STEVE NELLE
“The Shack has always been the hub of family activity, at least since my childhood. It was also a reciprocal exercise in restoration—every weekend we worked on restoring the land; every weekend it restored us.”
ESTELLA LEOPOLD, 2016
Estella Leopold (1927-2024) was the youngest child of Aldo and Estella Leopold. Young Estella and her four siblings spent much time together at the Leopold farm in South-Central Wisconsin, working and learning to love the land. She realized what many other landowners have learned—that working the land is restorative. It is restorative not only to the land but also to the people doing the work. With any conservation effort, you start out thinking that you will do something good for the land, and you end up realizing the land has done something good for you.
The Shack was the only usable structure on the Leopold farm and was nothing more than an old dilapidated chicken coop left over from the previous owner. Leopold and family went to work to clean it up and convert it to their headquarters where they spent weekends, holidays and summers. In her book, Stories from the Leopold Shack, Estella recalls the special bonding that took place there and the role of the farm in the life of their family.
Estella’s older sister Nina reiterated the importance of the Shack to the Leopold family, saying, “The Shack was everything, but it was nothing.” Although simple and crude, it was the center of family life. Originally, Leopold called it Jagdschloss, which is the German word for hunting lodge, but that name seemed too fancy and they ended up just calling it the Shack.
In Leopold’s day, restoring the land was a foreign concept. Land was not highly valued and was often treated poorly. When a piece of land was worn out or depleted, it was abandoned, not restored. Leopold was able to buy the old farm for a low price on his meager salary. But in terms of value to the family, the farm was priceless.
The work was strenuous but the entire Leopold family poured themselves into the land doing whatever was needed
and only rarely hiring out the work. Together they cut down trees, planted trees, restored native prairie, created food plots and restored wetland areas. But, it was not all work. They made plenty of time to hunt, fish, study birds, practice archery skills and watch the seasons come and go.
Leopold’s most famous land management thesis was that land could be restored by the proper and creative use of the same tools that had formerly been used to cause harm, those tools being the axe, plow, cow, fire and gun. Many of the wildlife management principles and techniques developed and refined by Leopold were first tried at the Leopold farm. That was his proving ground and it included failures as well as successes.
Leopold also used the farm as a place to teach the new science of wildlife management to his students at the University of Wisconsin. He did not just teach scientific fact and theory in the classroom but insisted that his students get their hands dirty in practical conservation and land management.
The reciprocal benefits described by Estella still hold true today. For many Texas landowners, land restoration is just as important as it was for Leopold and his family. There is a relationship that develops between the land and landowner that is hard to explain to one who does not own land. The land is shaped by the owner, and the owner is shaped by the land, both becoming better from the relationship.
No matter how exhausted you get while working on the land, at the end of the day, you feel restored. There is a special feeling of satisfaction after a hard day of work on a farm, ranch or rural property. It need not be a large piece of land and you need not have decades or generations of experience. The personal gratification and rejuvenation is one of the greatest benefits of owning and working your own piece of land, the value of which cannot be measured.
Photo Courtesy of the Aldo Leopold Foundation and University of Wisconsin-Madison Archives
Blackened Redfish with Thai Red Curry
RECIPE AND PHOTO BY
KRISTIN PARMA
Summer is fading, and hopefully you’ve got some fish in the freezer—because now’s the time to enjoy them. In Texas, late summer through early fall is prime redfish season. August through October are especially ideal for targeting big bull reds as they begin their annual migration from bay systems into the Gulf to spawn. This fall migration is a highlight for many Texas anglers, with October often yielding thousands of redfish catches along the coast. The excellent conditions during these months make it the best time of year for redfish enthusiasts to hit the water.
When I think about bold flavors, my heart always drifts to Thailand—the vibrant colors, fragrant spices, and the balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour flavors capture my imagination and palate every time. Whether you’re cooking up a recent catch or digging into your freezer stash, serve this blackened redfish over jasmine rice, with a side of sauteed vegetables or charred bok choy. Garnish with bean sprouts, cilantro and lime zest, and enjoy a bold and delicious fusion of Cajun and Thai flavors, the perfect blend of land and sea. This recipe works well with other Gulf fish such as red snapper, catfish and black drum.
Blackened
Redfish with Thai Red Curry
BLACKENED REDFISH
1. Mix all the spices together in a small bowl to create your Cajun spice rub or purchase your favorite one. I recommend Hardcore Carnivore Cajun.
2. Pat the fillets dry and brush with oil.
3. Generously coat both sides of the fish with the blackening spice mix.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until just smoking.
5. Add the fillets and sear 2–3 minutes per side, until blackened and cooked through. Do not overcrowd the pan—work in batches if needed.
INGREDIENTS
Redfish fillets (or other firm white fish like snapper)
1 tbsp paprika
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper (reduce if sensitive to heat)
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp high-smoke point oil
THAI RED CURRY SAUCE
1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Add curry paste, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until fragrant.
3. Stir in coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar. Simmer for 5–7 minutes until slightly thickened.
4. Remove from heat and stir in lime juice.
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp Thai red curry paste
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk
In celebration of Texas Wildlife Association’s 40th Anniversary, Texas artist Noelle M Brooks presents The Look of the Land a breathtaking original oil painting capturing the wild heart of our state
Order prints to commemorate TWA’s 40 years of impact this is not just art; it’s a legacy.
